Medical experts argue a Republican-authored medical marijuana bill lacks safeguards while advocates say it would provide relief. Senate President Sen. Mary Felzkowski, R-Tomahawk, during a Senate Health Committee public hearing pointed to Hawaii’s decision in 2000 to become one of the first states to pass a medical cannabis program. The

Tariffs and rising input costs for farmers are pushing Wisconsin’s ag industry to find new trade partners and new ways to use crops, farmers say. China this year placed no orders for soybeans from the U.S. amid the Trump administration’s ongoing trade war with the nation, which previously imported roughly

Innovation-inspiring funding for decades of research and patents in Wisconsin would be rolled back if the federal government skimmed profits from patents developed by federally funded universities, experts say. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick last month in an interview with The Hill said it’s unfair that the federal government gives universities

Wisconsin has become a hotbed of data center activity over the past few years as some of the biggest names in the business rush to take advantage of accessible water, affordable electricity and the state’s cool climate. At least 47 data centers are currently up and running or proposed in

Medical groups have registered in favor of a bill that would bar health insurance companies from requiring providers to accept virtual credit card payments. AB351 author Rep. Clint Moses, R-Menomonie, said the measure would help health care providers avoid getting stuck with an extra fee they then have to pass

Wisconsin has a lot of areas to improve on when it comes to cybersecurity, including gaps in statutory definitions, AI use and collaboration between groups, experts say. A panel of experts during an Assembly Science, Technology, and AI Committee informational hearing yesterday provided several hours of insight into the current

The American Dairy Coalition, American Business Immigration Coalition and U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden at the World Dairy Expo advocated for immigration law changes to bolster the agriculture workforce. Van Orden, R-Prairie du Chien, said he wants to create a program attached to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s app

The Forestry Revitalization Act is up for public comment Thursday in the Senate Insurance, Housing, Rural Issues and Forestry Committee. The bill aims to make Wisconsin a global aviation biofuel production hub through spending $210 million in state funds to attract what lawmakers have said would amount to a $1.5

A series of bills aimed at addressing what lawmakers called a “crisis” in the lack of workforce housing would redirect tens of millions of dollars from past workforce housing initiatives. Wisconsin in 2023 set aside $525 million for affordable housing development loans aimed at growing the state’s housing stock and

Wind and solar power are well-positioned to quickly respond to the increasing load data centers are putting on Wisconsin’s electrical grid, a renewable energy expert argues. Wisconsin has become a hotbed of data center activity over the past few years, underscored by Microsoft’s more than $7 billion in investments in

Policies aimed at bringing new business to Wisconsin often get bogged down because of the risky nature of investments, Rep. Rob Wittke says. Wittke, R-Caledonia, made the comments during a Wisconsin Tech Council luncheon in Madison this week while talking about a pair of new bills to update the state’s

A new Forestry Revitalization Act aims to make Wisconsin a global leader in aviation biofuel made from smaller, low-quality forestry biomass. Northwoods Republican lawmakers introduced a bill that would spend $210 million in state assistance to help attract a $1.5 billion plant in Hayward. It would turn bark, branches, cutter

Oak Creek’s Plan Commission last night approved Buc-ee’s Oak Creek plans to build what would become its second gas station in Wisconsin. The unanimous vote on the more than 73,000 square foot plan on the corner of 27th Street and Elm Road along I-94 came with some slight modifications to

Wisconsin clean water advocates are pushing back against a measure they say could pose a risk to public health and turn back the clock on progress addressing PFAS contamination.  At issue is the U.S. Senate’s version of the National Defense Authorization Act, which includes a provision to again allow the

AI growth is more likely to threaten those already in the workforce than younger generations who are learning how to use AI before entering the workforce, experts say. Mike Splinter, a 40-year veteran of the semiconductor industry and co-founder of WISC Partners, and Remzi Arpaci-Dusseau, director of UW-Madison’s School of

The head of UW-Madison’s School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences says Wisconsin is “very well-positioned to be a leader” in AI development.  Remzi Arpaci-Dusseau, a professor in the university’s Computer Sciences Department and a special advisor to the Provost on computing, spoke yesterday during a meeting of the Madison

Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce has launched a new peer network for business leaders, with a focus on executive leadership and growth strategies.  The group yesterday announced the Wisconsin Executive Forum, which will initially have three cohorts in Madison, Milwaukee and the Green Bay-Fox Cities area. The experience will include monthly

Widely used agricultural pesticides nicknamed “neonics” are posing a threat to pollinators and the crops they support, experts said during a briefing at the State Capitol.  Rep. Lee Snodgrass, D-Appleton, yesterday hosted the information session with members of environmental advocacy group Clean Wisconsin and specialists from UW-Madison. She circulated a